


color of happiness

by meclanitea



Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Happy and Hopeful Ending, Light Angst, References to parental death, implied child neglect, sakuya deserves the world
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:53:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26932432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meclanitea/pseuds/meclanitea
Summary: Sakuya thinks about his life. It’s hard to think of a time it had been smooth-sailing, but he found his way somehow, hadn’t he? The highs can’t make for the downs, but the bad moments could never pull down the happy ones.--the phases of sakuya's life shine with different colors
Comments: 6
Kudos: 35
Collections: A3 Tarot Zine





	color of happiness

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the A3! Tarot Zine! It's a free to download zine and I highly recommend checking it out! It's filled with art and fic by a lot of lovely creators I had the pleasure of working with ;u;
> 
> Theme: Wheel of Fortune Arcana
> 
> Note: Red, combined with white, is a symbol for happy or auspicious occasions.
> 
> I wrote this a few months ago so it might come off a bit different from my current writing style but I hope you enjoy just the same ^_^

The Wheel of Fortune: there are no accidents and life is filled with ups and downs; change is inevitable and is constant; even if you are going through a difficult time, it will eventually get better; kindness you give to the world will be given back to you

_Red; age 4_

The spaghetti in front of Sakuya looks different. He fidgets in his seat, looking at the meal from all angles with wide eyes. It doesn’t have the large meatballs he could barely bite into from last time and instead has lots and lots of sausage.

“Sakkun! I made you my special Napolitan!”

Sakuya blinks at the food before turning to his father. “Napoli-tan? Papa named the food?”

Papa gives a hearty laugh. “Yes, I did! Just for your birthday! Come on, taste it!”

Following Papa’s encouragement, Sakuya digs into the food and makes loud slurping noises. Mama giggles and strokes his hair. “Sakkun, are you happy?”

With tomato sauce all over his mouth, he grins.

_Gray; age 6_

No one had expected a spring storm. It’s been a week since his parents’ car was destroyed. A truck driver had lost control on the wet roads and crashed right into them. The sky had been dark and full of clouds, bringing rain and thunder that day. Sakuya had been in the living room, wrapped in a blanket, using pillows to subdue the noise, patiently waiting for them to come back. They were celebrating his birthday early since Mama had an important meeting she just couldn’t miss.

When the doorbell rang, and he rushed to open it, he was greeted by his aunt and policemen wearing the saddest faces Sakuya had ever seen.

The funeral home is stuffy and full of sobbing. Everyone is in bleak colors, including himself. Sakuya sits in a corner, knees up to his chest, trying to drown out the arguing of the grown-ups. He knows they’re fighting over who _doesn’t_ get to take care of him.

The youngest of Papa’s siblings comes up to him and pats his head. Her eyes are as red as her hair. “I know this isn’t the best time, Sakuya-kun, but I thought I should greet you: Happy birthday.”

The dam breaks and the room goes silent as he wails. His aunt sits beside him until he falls asleep.

_Yellow; age 9_

Veludo Way is easy enough to find. Like what Sakuya had searched says, there are numerous theatre companies filling the street. The sky is clear and the sun is high, making the whole place glow golden. It’s a weekend and it’s a lot more packed than expected, but still, he clutches his backpack placed against his chest and starts walking around.

There’s no specific place he has in mind; but the street acts are plentiful. Watching them has the pirate production from school playing again in his mind.

Aunt Akina gave him money for his birthday, albeit she doesn’t know where he is right now. It’s only enough to get him here and back home but it’s okay. He would have invited her but doctors never seem to have days off.

He reaches the end of the road and sees a large building with English letters in bright red, adorned with a large amber shield with flowers and a crown above it.

“Hey kid, where are your parents?” He turns and sees an older girl in a lemon-colored sailor uniform.

It’s an innocent question he’s heard several times but Sakuya wonders when it would stop hurting being asked.

“I’m alone,” he says slowly, staring at the stranger. “But I’m here to watch people act!”

Her face breaks into a smile. “You’ve come to the right place! My dad owns this theatre and we have lots of great people.” She gestures to two men starting up a dialogue, attracting an audience. He watches more pairs for the next 2 hours.

For the first time in a while, Sakuya smiles on his way home.

_Pink; age 15_

The next school he’ll enter is called Hanasaki. It’s a private school but his uncle’s a teacher so he gets to go under a scholarship. Neither of his new guardians seemed interested in picking him up but his previous ones couldn’t control their kid’s vitriol towards him and so he had to move. Again.

He hasn’t graduated yet but as a middle school senior, he is free to roam where he wants. He visits Hanasaki and finds it true to its name. Its main path is filled with Cherry Blossom trees and littered with petals traveling through the breeze.

It makes him think that this is a chance to start over. He can’t let things that don’t work out let him down. High school will surely be better, or at least he hopes so.

_Green; age 17_

Sakuya finds the place by chance. Instead of his usual route, he detours to Veludo Way. He doesn’t remember the last time he’s been here. After Aunt Akina, his next guardians were very strict about him staying at home and the next ones lived too far away. By the time he started in Hanasaki, he hadn’t thought about going back.

He heard his classmates talking about it earlier and it jogged back all the memories he had of it: the busy streets, the boisterous crowds, the enthusiastic performances.

What greet him are unfamiliar sights. It’s been 9 years after all and what he is able to remember is hazy in his mind. Nonetheless, he’s not here for that – he’s here to find his way back to theatre. He’s been limited to yearly culture festival acts and borrowing scripts and videos from the library for the past years. Feels like a lifetime since he’s watched one in a real theatre.

At the end of the street is a large building that, while looking maintained, has hardly anyone sparing a glance at it. On the window is a simple poster with child-like drawn flowers and leaves bordering the words written in neon green marker “MANKAI COMPANY HIRING ACTORS. Free food and accommodation!”

His heartbeat is unbearably loud in that moment.

Without letting himself hesitate, he enters. He knows he’s just an amateur with nothing to offer, but maybe this is an opportunity to change. He’ll be like a new sprout, trying earnestly to grow in the hopes of one day blossoming. And if he doesn’t try now, he’ll dry up in infertile land.

_Blue; age 18_

The jolly pop song Taichi downloaded for his phone alarm wakes Sakuya up. He rises slowly before deactivating the snooze and stretching his arms upwards. After making his bed, he steps down from the ladder. It’s when he proceeds to ready his toiletries that he notices that Citron is nowhere to be found. Usually, his roommate sleeps in well until after Sakuya leaves for school.

He scratches his head. There’s no obvious answer to the change of routine but Sakuya has to hurry up so that he can wake Masumi as well.

As he pushes the door to go outside, he’s met with a large ‘pop’ and an explosion of confetti.

“Happy birthday, Sakuya!” A chorus shouts out.

The whole Spring Troupe gathers around him, along with the director and Omi who’s holding out a cake with the words they just said written with frosting. Even Masumi is awake and already in his uniform before Sakuya, which has never happened before.

“The rest are in the lounge! We’re waiting for you so that we can sing!”

“C’mon Sakuya! It’ll be a real trick!”

“You mean ‘treat’.”

“We probably shouldn’t be bloc-Sakuya?! You’re crying!”

Eh? Sakuya touches his face and finds it wet. It’s been over a decade since someone celebrated his birthday with him like this. He even forgot it was today in the first place. There’s inexplicable warmth in his chest. The tears don’t want to stop so he puts his hands up at his troupemates and gives his biggest smile.

“T-thank you!” He chokes out.

Itaru ruffles his hair while Tsuzuru wipes his tears away.

The sun shines on them in a bright cloudless sky. Sakuya can feel it; it’s going to be a good day.

_Red; age 19_

“Sakuya-kun?”

He’s returning home with the party tonight on his mind when a much older lady approaches him. Her face hasn’t changed much except for the wrinkles on her forehead and the few white strands interspersed in her fiery hair.

“Akina-san!”

“My, it is you!” Her smile wavers. “What are you up to now, Sakuya-kun?”

“I’m a freeter but it’s because I’m gaining experience as a theatre actor!” He happily exclaims.

“An actor?” Sakuya spots the concern in her voice.

Sakuya nods. “Yes! It’s not the easiest job but I have a lot of people with me, supporting me and helping me grow.”

Her face softens. “I’m sorry I couldn’t do more for you before but I’m glad to see you grew up wonderfully. Are you happy, Sakuya-kun?”

Sakuya thinks about his life. It’s hard to think of a time it had been smooth-sailing, but he found his way somehow, hadn’t he? The highs can’t make for the downs, but the bad moments could never pull down the happy ones.

He turns to Aunt Akina with a wide smile.

“Yes!”

**Author's Note:**

> yes, the title is based on ayano's theory of happiness
> 
> shout about a3 with me [@meclanitea](https://twitter.com/meclanitea) on twt!  
> you can find the zine [here! ](https://twitter.com/A3Tarot)


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